The bill would require each regional transportation authority to make public transportation free to a veteran who is a state resident and is a member or former member of the armed forces who was a prisoner of war in World War II or the conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.

Another way to qualify would be to have won a Purple Heart or be eligible for the special license plate for wartime disabled veterans.

The bill would also cover veterans who have a qualifying service-connected disability and receive U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs disability compensation of at least 10 percent or have a qualifying service-connected disability and is receiving military disability retirement pay.

South Carolina is home to 413,000 veterans, according to the state’s Office of Veterans' Affairs.